Definition

Verb: - To make every effort; to exert oneself; to strive: This verb describes the action of putting forth significant or extraordinary physical or mental effort to accomplish a task or overcome a difficulty. It implies going beyond one's normal capacity.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Anh ấy gắng sức đẩy chiếc xe ra khỏi vũng lầy. (He exerted himself to push the car out of the mud pit.)
  • Cô ấy phải gắng sức lắm mới hiểu được bài toán khó đó. (She had to make a great effort to understand that difficult math problem.)
  • Dù mệt, tôi vẫn gắng sức hoàn thành công việc đúng hạn. (Although tired, I still strived to complete the work on time.)

Advanced Usage

• "Cố gắng hết sức" / "Gắng hết sức": To try one's hardest; to do one's utmost. This is a common reinforcing phrase.

  • Tôi sẽ cố gắng hết sức để giúp đỡ bạn. (I will try my hardest to help you.)

• "Gắng sức thêm": To make an additional effort.

  • Chúng ta cần gắng sức thêm một chút nữa là đến đích. (We need to exert a little more effort to reach the destination.)

Variants and Related Words

• Cố gắng (verb): To try; to make an effort. This is a more common and general synonym.

  • Hãy cố gắng lên! (Keep trying!/Do your best!)

• Nỗ lực (verb/noun): To endeavor; effort. This term often carries a more formal or sustained connotation.

  • Sự nỗ lực của anh ấy thật đáng khâm phục. (His endeavor is truly admirable.)

• Gắng (verb): A shorter, sometimes more literary form of "gắng sức" or "cố gắng," meaning to strive or try hard.

  • Ông ấy gắng đứng dậy sau cú ngã. (He strove to stand up after the fall.)

Synonyms

• Cố gắng: To try, to make an effort.
• Nỗ lực: To endeavor, to strive.
• Ra sức: To put forth strength/effort.
• Vắt kiệt sức: To exert to the point of exhaustion (stronger).

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

Note: As a single verb, "gắng sức" itself is typically used without forming phrasal verbs with prepositions. Its meaning is conveyed through combination with adverbs or in fixed phrases like those in the "Advanced Usage" section.

Related Idioms

• "Gắng sức đáo để": To strive to the utmost degree; to spare no effort.

  • Đội bóng đã gắng sức đáo để để giành chiến thắng. (The team spared no effort to achieve victory.)

• "Một nỗ lực cuối cùng" / "Gắng sức lần cuối": A final effort; a last-ditch attempt.

  • Với một nỗ lực cuối cùng, anh ấy đã leo lên đỉnh núi. (With a final effort, he climbed to the mountain peak.)

verb

1. to make every effort